Heated races for seats on Valley school boards

By the MVI

The races for open seats on Valley-wide school boards were among the most competitive in Tuesday’s primary election.

Here are the unofficial results of several school board races around the Mon Valley:

Allegheny County Elizabeth Forward

In Elizabeth Forward, voters had to choose candidates for four, four-year seats. The district is in the midst of a major renovation project due to the 2023 fire at the high school and looking at possibly consolidating some schools, which may have prompted a field of 10 candidates to run for a seat.

All candidates crossfiled. Winning the Democratic nominations are candidates Dorothy A. Wycoff, 778, Jamie Evans, 711, Margaret Morgan, 685 and Kenneth D. Honick Jr., 607.

Falling short for the Dem nominations were candidates Chad J. Licht, 576, Daniel J. Novacek, 572, Ryan O. Hemminger, 480, Richard Cummings, 466, Mason Markland, 430 and Joshua B. Giran, 408.

Winning the four GOP nominations are candidates Novacek, 825, Evans, 715, Morgan, 614, and Cummings, 595. Falling short were candidates Honick, 530, Licht, 477, Wycoff, 447, Markland, 410, Hemminger, 373, and Giran, 360.

McKeesport Area

As the McKeesport Area School District moves past several serious issues from last year, including the loss of the superintendent, the arrest of the school police chief, and an investigation of multiple employees, a large field of candidates want to serve on the school board.

There are four, four-year seats open on the city school board.

All candidates crossfiled. Winning the four Democratic nominations are Matthew Holtzman, 1,312, Arla Payne, 1,279, David G. Donato, 1,276 and Kevin Kovach, 1,247, according to unofficial election results with 100% of precincts reporting.

Winning the four Republican nominations are Holtzman, 644, Donato, 574, Kovach, 442, and Bob Boyle, 393.

Falling short were candidates Tom Filotei, Julian Thomas, Mike Shelly and Tiffany Wampler.

Westmoreland County Belle Vernon Area

With 100% of precincts reporting in Westmoreland and Fayette counties, Belle Vernon Area School Board candidates Jack Curran of North Belle Vernon, Adam R. Spitznagel of Rostraver Township, incumbent Michelle Callaway-Rodriguez of Rostraver Township and William Hrach of Rostraver Township were the top vote getters on both the Democratic and Republican tickets for one of four, four-year seats.

Incumbent John A. Habel III of Belle Vernon fell short on his bid for reelection.

Democratic vote results (combined Westmoreland and Fayette counties): Curran, 1,015; Spitznagel, 839; Callaway-Rodriguez, 786; Hrach, 695; Habel, 538.

Republican combined votes: Curran, 863; Spitznagel, 728; Hrach, 723; Callaway-Rodriguez, 526; Habel, 355; Joseph Malaspina of Fayette City, 290.

Current board Directors Jason Gross and Tara Jurczak did not seek reelection.

Monessen City School District

With 92.31% of precincts reporting, Monessen School District school board members Marc D. Bellora, Cheryl Galilei and Teresa Dzurko Speicher and candidate Dan McFadden were unopposed for one of four, four-year seats. Dzurko Speicher was the lone candidate to crossfile. The other candidates only filed to run on the Democratic ballot.

Washington County California Area

For California Area’s School District Region 1, Democratic candidates Barry R. Niccolai and Joseph Grodz, who crossfiled, both received the two nominations for the two open seats.

For Region II’s one, fouryear seat, Susan Baumgard defeated Bethany D. Hatalsky for both the GOP and Democratic nomination, as both crossfiled.

With 100% of precincts reporting, Baumgard had 137 Democratic votes, Hatalsky, 85. On the GOP side, Baumgard had 131 votes, Hatalsky, 94.

For one, four-year seat representing Region

III, Gina Martin defeated Dominnic Fuller for both party nominations, as they each crossfiled. Martin had 132 Democratic votes and 82 GOP votes. Fuller garnered 61 Democratic votes and 57 GOP votes.

Charleroi

For four, four-year seats on the Charleroi Area School Board, winning Democratic nominations were Larry Hopkins, 656 votes, Joseph Caruso, 526, Barbara L. Pepper, 523 votes, and Thomas Nutting, 463. Falling short for the Dem nomination were candidates Adam Wilkinson, 420, and Susan Cappelli Benning, 363.

While Wilkinson did not win a Democratic nomination, he was the top Republican vote getter with 439 votes, followed by Hopkins, 374, Caruso, 317, and Pepper, 297. Falling short were Cappelli Benning, 287, and Nutting, 282.

Ringgold

For one of three, four-year at-large seats in the Ringgold School District, winning Democratic nominations are incumbent Sherrie Crawley Garry, 1,008 votes, Heather Dougherty, 725, and Sarah Fine, 612, with 100% of precincts reporting. Falling short for the Dem nominations were Gene Kennedy, 529, William C. Stein Jr., 508, Gilbert Szakal Jr., 400, Paul Mountain, 385, and Gail Glaneman, 370.

Winning the Republican nomination for one of three, four-year at large seats are Dougherty, 682 votes, Kennedy, 562, and Crawley Garry, 529. Falling short were Mountain, 520, Fine, 444, Stein Jr., 366, and Glaneman, 275.

For Region 1, Mountain and Szakal Jr. are tied at 240 for the Democratic nomination for one four-year seat, with 100% of precincts reporting. There are four write-in votes. Mountain secured the GOP nomination as he was the only one on the ballot.

Incumbent Carol Fida Flament defeated Kattreena Amodeo for both nominations for one, four-year seat representing Region 2, as both crossfiled. Fida Flament garnered 355 Democratic votes and 272 GOP votes. Amodeo had 222 Dem votes and 194 GOP votes.